Sodium bicarbonate reduces postharvest decay development on melons

Sodium bicarbonate (SBC) inhibited in vitro mycelial growth of A. alternata, Fusarium spp. and R. stolonifer. SBC action was fungistatic rather than fungicidal. Coating commercially harvested ‘Galia’ and ‘Ein-Dor’ melons with wax containing 2% SBC reduced decay incidence after storage and shelf life simulation by four to seven-fold, to a commercially acceptable level of 6–7%, compared to untreated or waxed-treated controls. This treatment also maintained the fresh and blemish-free appearance of the fruit at harvest. Higher concentrations of SBC (3%) were phytotoxic and significantly reduced general fruit appearance. A trial shipment by sea transport to Europe demonstrated that 2% SBC incorporated into a wax coating maintained the marketability of ‘Galia’ melon fruits compared to that of untreated fruit. SBC can be an alternative biocide to the fungicide imazalil, thus eliminating unwanted residues on melon fruits.     

Elucidating the roles of ethanol fermentation metabolism in causing off-flavors in mandarins

To elucidate the roles of ethanol fermentation metabolism in causing off-flavors, 'Mor' mandarins were exposed to anaerobic atmospheres for 0, 2, 4, 7, and 10 days to gradually increase juice ethanol and acetaldehyde levels through enhanced fermentation. Exposure to anaerobic atmosphere caused progressive decline in fruit sensory quality, from nearly "good" to "very bad", because of decreased typical mandarin flavor and increased sensation of 'musty' and 'ethanol' off-flavors. GC-MS analysis revealed significant (p ≤ 0.05) increases in the contents of 12 aroma volatiles, including the ethanol fermentation metabolites ethanol and acetaldehyde, and several fatty acid and amino acid catabolism derivates, 7 of which were ethyl esters, which suggests that they were esterification products of ethanol and acyl-CoA's derived from fatty acid and amino acid catabolism. These de novo synthesized anaerobiosis-regulated ethyl esters impart 'pungent', 'ethereal', 'waxy', 'musty', and 'fruity' notes. Overall, these results suggest that besides the direct effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde, downstream ethanol esterification products may also be involved in causing off-flavor sensation in mandarins.     

Further suppression of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Botrytis cinerea</Emphasis> disease in cucumber seedlings by chitosan-copper complex as compared with chitosan alone

Chitosan-copper complex compared with chitosan alone enhanced suppression ofBotrytis cinerea rot development on four-true-leaf cucumber seedlings in controlled growth chambers. This paper constitutes the first report of such enhancement. The optimal concentrations for the most effective suppression ofBotrytis development were 0.2 gl ⁻¹ chitosan and 1.6 mmole copper. After 12 days’ incubation, marked and significantly better disease suppression was obtained with chitosan-copper complex (75% suppression) than with chitosan alone. The chitosan-copper complex could be a very promising decay control agent for use in both conventional and organic agriculture. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 18, 2002.     

Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene on volatile emission and aroma in cv. Anna apples

The rapidly ripening summer apple cultivar Anna was treated with 0.1 micro L(-1) and 1 microL L(-1) 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP) at harvest and kept at 20 degrees C, or stored for 5 weeks at 0 degrees C and then transferred to 20 degrees C. Total volatiles were not reduced by treatment with 0.1 microL L(-1) MCP, but were 70% lower in fruits treated with 1 microL L(-1) MCP than in untreated fruits. Ethylene production was 50% and 95% inhibited by 0.1 microL L(-1) and 1 microL L(-1) MCP, respectively. The volatiles produced by fruit at harvest were predominantly aldehydes and alcohols, with some acetate esters as well as 2-methyl butyl acetate and beta-damascenone. During ripening, the acetate and butyrate esters increased greatly and alcohols and aldehydes decreased. MCP-treated apples retained more alcohols, aldehydes, and beta-damascenone volatiles than did untreated apples. Sensory evaluation found that control and 0.1 microL L(-1) treated apples developed more fruity, ripe, and overall aromas, but the preference was for the 1 microL L(-1) treated apples with a less ripe aroma.     

Post harvest treatments to control eggplant deterioration during storage

Eggplant (Solatium melongena L.) fruits deteriorate rapidly during prolonged storage, mainly due to accelerated senescence of the calyx. Dipping the calyx in a solution containing 200 ppm NAA and 900 ppm prochloraz (active ingredient) retarded calyx senescence and controlled decay. At the end of the growing season in Israel (March-May), dipping the whole fruit in the above solution gave better results than dipping the calyx only. After 14 d of storage at 12°C and 3 d at 20°C, the calyx appeared fresh and green and the fruit was firm. Decay incidence did not exceed 5%. The residual level of prochloraz in fruits that were wholly dipped was less than 0.34 mg 1“'.     

Neutrophil recruitment in endotoxin-induced murine mastitis is strictly dependent on mammary alveolar macrophages

Mastitis, inflammation of the mammary tissue, is a common disease in dairy animals and mammary pathogenic Escherichia coli (MPEC) is a leading cause of the disease. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an important virulence factor of MPEC and inoculation of the mammary glands with bacterial LPS is sufficient to induce an inflammatory response. We previously showed using adoptive transfer of normal macrophages into the mammary gland of TLR4-deficient C3H/HeJ mice that LPS/TLR4 signaling on mammary alveolar macrophages is sufficient to elicit neutrophil recruitment into the alveolar space. Here we show that TLR4-normal C3H/HeN mice, depleted of alveolar macrophages, were completely refractory to LPS intramammary challenge. These results indicate that alveolar macrophages are both sufficient and essential for neutrophil recruitment elicited by LPS/TLR4 signaling in the mammary gland. Using TNFα gene-knockout mice and adoptive transfer of wild-type macrophages, we show here that TNFα produced by mammary alveolar macrophages in response to LPS/TLR4 signaling is an essential mediator eliciting blood neutrophil recruitment into the milk spaces. Furthermore, using the IL8 receptor or IL1 receptor gene-knockout mice we observed abrogated recruitment of neutrophils into the mammary gland and their entrapment on the basal side of the alveolar epithelium in response to intramammary LPS challenge. Adoptive transfer of wild-type neutrophils to IL1 receptor knockout mice, just before LPS challenge, restored normal neutrophil recruitment into the milk spaces. We conclude that neutrophil recruitment to the milk spaces is: (i) mediated through TNFα, which is produced by alveolar macrophages in response to LPS/TLR4 signaling and (ii) is dependent on IL8 and IL1β signaling and regulated by iNOS-derived NO.     

Bicarbonate solutions control powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica) on sweet red pepper and reduce the development of postharvest fruit rotting

Disease severity of powdery mildew (causal agentLeveillula taurica (Lév.) Arn.) on pepper (Capsicum annuum), defoliation and fruit sunscald rating were significantly reduced (P=0.05) by foliar applications of sodium or potassium bicarbonate solutions, compared with water or penconazole (Ophir). Preharvest application of bicarbonate solutions significantly reduced (P=0.05) postharvest decay development on sweet red pepper fruits.